BOTANICAL CLASSIFICATION/CULTIVAR DESIGNATION
The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Anthurium plant, botanically known as Anthurium andreanum, and hereinafter referred to by the name xe2x80x98VR 151xe2x80x99.
The new Anthurium is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Schipluiden, The Netherlands. The objective of the program is to create and develop new compact, freely clumping and freely flowering Anthurium cultivars with strong roots, dark green leaves, attractive spathe color, and good inflorescence longevity.
The new Anthurium originated from a cross by the Inventor in January, 1998 of the Anthurium andreanum cultivar Lady Love, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,661, as the female, or seed, parent with the Anthurium andreanum selection number 97-15, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The cultivar VR 151 was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Schipluiden, The Netherlands in 1999.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by meristem culture in a laboratory in Belgium has shown that the unique features of this new Anthurium plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.
The new Anthurium has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of the cultivar VR 151. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98VR 151xe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Upright and outwardly spreading plant habit.
2. Freely clumping growth habit.
3. Durable dark green leaves.
4. Pink and green bi-colored spathes with creamy white-colored spadices that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on strong and erect scapes.
5. Freely flowering habit.
6. Good inflorescence longevity.
Plants of the new Anthurium can be compared to plants of the female parent, the cultivar Lady Love. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the cultivar Lady Love in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium had flatter leaves and spathes than plants of the cultivar Lady Love.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium and the cultivar Lady Love differed in spathe form and color.
Plants of the new Anthurium can be compared to plants of the male parent, the selection 97-15. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the selection 97-15 in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium were more compact than plants of the selection 97-15.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium were more freely branching than plants of the selection 97-15.
3. Plants of the new Anthurium had smaller leaves and smaller spathes than plants of the selection 97-15.
4. Plants of the new Anthurium had pink and green bi-colored spathes whereas plants of the selection 97-15 had white-colored spathes.
Plants of the new Anthurium can also be compared to plants of the cultivar Baby Pink, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 11,469. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Schipluiden, The Netherlands, plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the cultivar Baby Pink in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Anthurium were larger and not as freely branching than plants of the cultivar Baby Pink.
2. Plants of the new Anthurium differed from plants of the cultivar Baby Pink in leaf shape and spathe color.